Oral health groups honor fluoridation leaders, communities

April 26, 2016

By Michelle Manchir

Mr. Duchon

Cincinnati, Ohio — Recognizing the important health benefits and safety of community water fluoridation, the ADA, the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention honored leaders, states and community water suppliers at the National Oral Health Conference April 17.

The groups recognized Kip Duchon, national fluoridation engineer at the Division of Oral Health within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, with a Fluoridation Special Merit Award for his contributions toward the progress of fluoridation.

Mr. Duchon is credited with maintaining and overseeing ongoing development of the Water Fluoridation Report System, which every state now uses for fluoridation surveillance; overseeing and delivering national fluoridation training; providing fluoridation technical assistance around the country; developing and distributing annual CDC Quality Award and providing expert advice in collaboration with the ADA, ASTDD and other groups.

Furthermore, Mr. Duchon led the revision and restructuring of the national training course, Principles and Practices of Community Water Fluoridation, and developing high quality course materials and manual, organizers of the awards program said. "Under Kip's careful stewardship, course content is updated each year, providing attendees with the most current information on fluoridation public health and engineering topics," organizers of the conference said about Mr. Duchon.

Mr. Duchon called the honor "humbling," adding, "My contribution was only possible through the efforts of two groups: Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors members, as they are the eyes and ears close to the action while I am locked up in the CDC ivory tower, and my remarkable and talented CDC colleagues."

Meanwhile, Colorado, Connecticut, North Dakota, Nevada, Alabama, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana and Virginia were recognized with the 2015 State Fluoridation Quality Award for consistent optimally fluoridated water in more than 90 percent of the adjusted water systems or population supplied by adjusted water systems.

Communities awarded the Community Fluoridation Reaffirmation Award for defeating initiatives to discontinue community water fluoridation during the past year are the Tri-Community Water System, Fairhope and Sylacauga in Alabama; Breckenridge, Denver, Hayden and Snowmass in Colorado; Eustis and Inverness in Florida; Lyerly, Georgia; Culver, Indiana; Bethel and East Millinocket in Maine; Concord, Gloucester, Newburyport, Oak Bluffs, Rockport, Shrewsbury, Templeton and Topsfield in Massachusetts; West Branch, Michigan; Park Hills, Missouri; Egg Harbor City, New Jersey; Austin, Dallas and Madisonville, Texas; Martinsville, Virginia; Amery, Delavan, Durand, Eagle River and Rice Lake, Wisconsin; Clarksburg and Shinnston, West Virginia.

Communities that passed water fluoridation initiatives during the past calendar year, receiving Community Initiative Awards, include Brockton, Massachusetts; and New Zion Utilities and Como in Mississippi.

States awarded the State Fluoridation Initiative Award for having the greatest increase in population receiving fluoridation during the past year are California and Arkansas. States receiving the Health People 2020 Award for achieving a 10 percent increase in population served by community water systems with optimally fluoridated water since 2010 are Arkansas and Kansas.

Finally, many communities were honored for 50 years of continuous community water fluoridation. They were Five Star Water and Gordo Gas and Sewer Board in Alabama; Jonesboro Water System and McCory Waterworks in Arkansas; Boulder, Carter Lake: North & South WTPS in Colorado; Hartwell, Blakely, and Royston in Georgia; Charleston, Galena, Rantoul, Shawneetown, Union-York Water District, Utilities Inc. Clarendon Water Company and Utilities Inc. Lake Holiday in Illinois; Delphi, Greendale, North Vernon, Rensselear, Rochester, Shelbyville-Indiana American Water Co. and Topeka in Indiana; Beatrice State Development Center and Rushville in Nebraska; Lancaster Water Department in New Hampshire; Allentown Water Department and City of Burlington Water Department in New Jersey; Massena Village, New York City, Owego Water District No. 2 and Syracuse City in New York; Sweet Home, Oregon; Eldora Water Supply, Elk Horn Municipal Water Works, Iowa American Water Company-Clinton District, Lake City Water Supply, Lake Mills Municipal Water Department and Postville Water Department in Iowa; Albany Water Works, Cadiz Municipal Water Company, Dawson Springs Water and Sewer, Irvine Municipal Utilities, Manchester Water Works, Nicholasville Water Department and Sturgis Water Works in Kentucky; Kennebec Water District and Pittsfield Water Works in Maine; Alma, Charlotte, K. I. Sawyer and Michigan State University in Michigan; Anoka, Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Gaylord, Jordan, Moorhead, Paynesville, Saint James, Spring Valley and Winona in Minnesota; Maryville, Missouri; Brookhaven, Canton and Mendenhall in Mississippi; Asheville, Selma and Statesville in North Carolina; Ashley, Beulah, Carrington, Drayton, Langon and Lisbon in North Dakota; Dubois Municipal Water Authority in Pennsylvania; Clinton, South Carolina; Athens Utilities Board, Newport Utilities Board, Parsons Water Department, Pigeon Forge, Portland Water System and Sevierville, Tennessee; Forth Worth, Texas; Wise and Culpepper in Virginia; Lynden Water Department in Washington; Antigo Water Department, Barneveld, Black Earth, Delavan, Eagle River Light and Water Department, Pardeeville, Williams Bay and Windsor in Wisconsin; and Buckhannon Water Board, Lewisburg Municipal Water and Red Sulphur Public Service District in West Virginia.